jets

Former New York Jets executive Scott Pioli, who also played a key role in Bill Belichick’s New England Patriots dynasty, gives his reaction to the Jets trading away defensive stars Sauce Gardner and Quinnen Williams at the NFL’s trade deadline.

WATCH: The Whole 10 Yards – NFL’s trade deadline (UK ONLY)

Nick Mangold’s long, blond hair and bushy beard made him instantly recognizable. His gritty, outstanding performance on the field for the New York Jets made him one of the franchise’s greatest players.

Mangold, a two-time All-Pro center who helped lead the Jets to the AFC championship game twice, has died, the team announced Sunday. He was 41.

The Jets said in a statement that Mangold died Saturday night from complications of kidney disease. His death came less than two weeks after the two-time All-Pro selection announced on social media that he had kidney disease and needed a transplant. He said he didn’t have relatives who were able to donate, so he went public with the request for a donor with type O blood.

“I always knew this day would come, but I thought I would have had more time,” he wrote in an Oct. 14 message directed to the Jets and Ohio State communities.

“While this has been a tough stretch, I’m staying positive and focused on the path ahead. I’m looking forward to better days and getting back to full strength soon. I’ll see you all at MetLife Stadium & The Shoe very soon.”

Mangold said he was diagnosed with a genetic defect in 2006 that led to chronic kidney disease. He was on dialysis while waiting for a transplant.

“Nick was more than a legendary center,” Jets owner Woody Johnson said in a statement. “He was the heartbeat of our offensive line for a decade and a beloved teammate whose leadership and toughness defined an era of Jets football. Off the field, Nick’s wit, warmth, and unwavering loyalty made him a cherished member of our extended Jets family.”

The Jets announced Mangold’s death about an hour before they beat the Cincinnati Bengals 39-38 for their first win of the season. A moment of silence was held in the press box before the game. Mangold grew up in Centerville, Ohio — about 45 miles north of Cincinnati — but remained in New Jersey, close to the Jets’ facility, after his playing career ended.

Jets coach Aaron Glenn was a scout for the franchise during Mangold’s playing career.

“A true Jet, through and through. … He was the heart and soul of this team,” Glenn said.

Mangold was a first-round draft pick of the Jets in 2006 out of Ohio State and was selected to the Pro Bowl seven times. He helped lead New York within one win of the Super Bowl during both the 2009 and 2010 seasons and was enshrined in the Jets’ ring of honor in 2022. Mangold was among 52 modern-era players who advanced earlier this week in the voting process for next year’s Pro Football Hall of Fame class.

Mangold was the anchor of New York’s offensive line his entire playing career, spending all 11 seasons with the Jets.

“I was fortunate to have the opportunity to lace them up with you every Sunday,” Pro Football Hall of Famer Darrelle Revis, Mangold’s teammate for eight years, wrote on X. “I will miss you and forever cherish our moments in the locker room. Love you buddy.”

Mangold started every game during his first five seasons and missed only four games in his first 10 years before an ankle injury limited him to eight games in 2016, his final season.

“It’s brutal,” former Jets coach and current ESPN analyst Rex Ryan said during “Sunday NFL Countdown” while fighting through tears. “Such a great young man. I had the pleasure of coaching him for all six years with the Jets (from 2009-14). I remember it was obvious I was getting fired, my last game, Mangold’s injured — like, injured — and he comes to me and says, ‘I’m playing this game.’ And he wanted to play for me.

“That’s what I remember about this kid. He was awesome. And it’s just way too young. I feel so bad for his wife and family. (This is) rough.”

Mangold was released by the team in 2017 and didn’t play that season. The following year, he signed a one-day contract with the Jets to officially retire as a member of the team.

“Rest in peace to my brother & teammate Nick Mangold,” tweeted former running back Thomas Jones, who played three years with Mangold. “I keep seeing your smiling face in the huddle bro. One of the kindest people I’ve ever met. One of the greatest interior linemen to ever play the game. This one hurts. Surreal.”

Several other former teammates mourned the loss of Mangold.

“Absolutely gutted,” former wide receiver David Nelson, who played with Mangold for two seasons, wrote on X. “One of the best guys I’ve ever met — true legend on and off the field.”

Former kicker Jay Feely, Mangold’s teammate for two seasons, tweeted: “Heartbreaking news this morning. Nick and I played together with the Jets and loved to banter about the Michigan/Ohio St rivalry. He was a natural leader, a great player, thoughtful, kind, & larger than life.”

Mangold’s No. 74 jersey remained a popular one for fans to wear at games, even nine years after playing his final NFL game. He was active with charitable events and often dressed as Santa Claus for the team’s holiday celebrations for children.

“Nick was the embodiment of consistency, strength, and leadership,” Jets vice chairman Christopher Johnson said in a statement. “For over a decade, he anchored our offensive line with unmatched skill and determination, earning the respect of teammates, opponents and fans alike. His contributions on the field were extraordinary — but it was his character, humility, and humor off the field that made him unforgettable.”

Mangold is survived by his wife, Jennifer, and their children Matthew, Eloise, Thomas and Charlotte. Nick Mangold’s sister, Holley, was a member of the 2012 U.S. Olympic Team and competed in the super heavyweight division of the weightlifting competition.

Waszak writes for the Associated Press. AP writer Jay Cohen and freelance reporter Jeff Wallner contributed to this report.

Incursion follows series of drone incidents and airspace violations that have prompted fears that Russia is testing NATO.

Two Russian military aircraft have briefly entered Lithuania’s airspace in what appeared to be a new provocation from Moscow as European Union leaders discussed how to strengthen their defences amid deepening concerns the war in Ukraine could spill over into their nations.

Lithuania’s armed forces said in a statement that the two aircraft – an Su-30 fighter and an Il-78 refuelling tanker – may have been conducting refuelling exercises in the neighbouring Russian exclave of Kaliningrad when they flew 700 metres (0.43 miles) into the country at 6pm local time (15:00 GMT) on Thursday.

“This is a blatant breach of international law and territorial integrity of Lithuania,” said President Gitanas Nauseda on X, adding that his country would summon Russian embassy representatives to protest against reckless and dangerous behaviour.

Two Spanish Eurofighter Typhoon jets from the NATO Baltic Air Police were scrambled in response and were patrolling the area, the Lithuanian military said.

Russia’s Defence Ministry denied the incursion had taken place, saying the flights were conducted “in strict compliance” with rules and “did not deviate from their route and did not violate the borders of other states”.

The incident occurred after Nauseda and his fellow EU leaders attended a Brussels summit on Thursday, endorsing a plan dubbed Readiness 2030 to ensure that Europe can defend itself against an outside attack by the end of the decade.

It follows a series of mysterious drone incidents and airspace violations by Russian warplanes in recent weeks that have heightened anxiety that Russian President Vladimir Putin might be testing NATO’s defensive reflexes.

Three Russian military jets violated Estonia’s airspace for 12 minutes on September 19 in what was described by Tallinn as an “unprecedented and brazen intrusion”.

Nine days before, NATO jets had shot down 20 Russian drones that entered Polish airspace, marking the first time an alliance member had engaged directly with Russia since the start of the Ukraine war.

Fellow Baltic state leaders Estonian Prime Minister Kristen Michal and Latvian Foreign Minister Baiba Braze both expressed full solidarity with Lithuania.

Polish Defence Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz said the incident showed that “Russia is in no way calming down or retreating” and that continued vigilance is required.

Thursday’s EU summit also saw the bloc greenlight a major package of sanctions against Russia for its war on Ukraine.

It stopped short of endorsing the use of Russian frozen assets to give Kyiv a large loan. Russia had threatened a “painful response” if its assets were seized.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy checked out the cockpit of a Gripen fighter jet in Sweden on a visit to buy 150 of the aircraft. Ukraine’s military hopes to start using some already manufactured jets next year.

WINNIPEG, Canada — Mark Scheifele broke a tie with 8:13 left with his second goal of the game, Connor Hellebuyck made 30 saves and the Winnipeg Jets beat the Kings 3-2 on Saturday.

Scheifele picked Josh Morrissey’s pass out of the air and deflected it past goalie Darcy Kuemper to give Winnipeg the lead. Alex Iafallo had a power-play goal for the Jets in the first period to help the Jets rebound from a season-opening home loss to Dallas on Thursday night.

Adrian Kempe and Mikey Anderson scored for the Kings, with Kuemper stopping 24 shots. The Kings played their third game, following an opening home loss to Colorado and a shootout victory at Vegas.

Scheifele tied it 2-2 with 1:03 left in the second. In the tail end of killing a penalty, Morgan Barron stole the puck and fed Scheifele, whose backhander deflected off Anderson past Kuemper.

The Kings took a 2-1 lead midway through the second. Kempe finished off a pretty three-way passing play with Anze Kopitar and Andrei Kuzmenko.

Anderson tied it 1-1 just 50 seconds into the second period. His screened shot from the point got by Hellebuyck.

Up next: Kings: At Minnesota on Monday night.

Estonian President Alar Karis says Russian fighter planes entering his country’s airspace is another sign that Russia is escalating its war on Ukraine. His comments come a day after US President Donald Trump said NATO countries should shoot down Russian aircraft that violate their airspace.

German air force says its ‘quick reaction alert force’ was ordered by NATO to investigate Russian plane in neutral airspace.

Germany’s air force says it has scrambled two Eurofighter jets to track a Russian reconnaissance aircraft after it had entered neutral airspace over the Baltic Sea.

In a statement, the air force said its “quick reaction alert force” was ordered on Sunday by NATO to investigate an unidentified aircraft flying without a plan or radio contact.

“It was a Russian IL-20M reconnaissance aircraft. After visual identification, we handed over escort duties for the aircraft to our Swedish NATO partners and returned to Rostock-Laage,” it added.

The operation was conducted as NATO prepares to convene its North Atlantic Council on Tuesday to discuss a separate incident involving Russian jets over Estonia.

According to the Reuters news agency, that meeting is to address what Tallinn called an “unprecedented and brazen” violation of its airspace on Friday when three Russian MiG-31 fighters entered without permission and remained for 12 minutes before leaving.

The claim sparked condemnation from NATO and European governments, who called the incursion a “reckless” and “dangerous provocation”.

Estonian Prime Minister Kristen Michal requested urgent “NATO Article 4 consultations” on the “totally unacceptable” incursion. Article 4 allows NATO members to hold consultations with the alliance when any state believes its territorial integrity, political independence or security is under threat.

Russia’s Ministry of Defence denied the allegation while Estonia summoned Moscow’s charge d’affaires in protest.

Tensions have been heightened in recent weeks by a series of airspace violations along NATO’s eastern flank.

Romania said last week that its radar detected a Russian drone, prompting it to scramble fighter jets. Earlier this month, Poland reported that it had shot down several drones during a Russian aerial attack on Ukraine, marking the first time NATO forces have directly engaged in that conflict.

Ukraine has said the incidents show Moscow is testing the West’s resolve as the war is in its fourth year. Military analysts note that such incursions serve as intelligence-gathering operations, tests of NATO’s responses and pressure tactics designed to unsettle NATO members bordering Russia.

Sept. 19 (UPI) — Russian fighter jets on Friday flew into Estonian airspace for 12 minutes, a move the country called a “brazen intrusion.”

Estonia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Margus Tsahkna confirmed the “violation of Estonia’s airspace,” in a statement on X.

“Three Russian MiG-31s entered our airspace over the Gulf of Finland for 12 minutes. This is an unprecedented and brazen intrusion – clear proof of Russia’s growing aggression,” Tsahkna said in the post.

“Such actions cannot be tolerated and must be met with swift political and economic pressure.”

Tsahkna said Estonia would be summoning Russia’s top diplomat to demand an explanation.

The incursion by the Russian supersonic interceptor aircraft marks the fourth such violation of Estonian airspace so far this year.

“Russia has already violated Estonia’s airspace four times this year, which in itself is unacceptable. But today’s incursion, involving three fighter aircraft entering our airspace is unprecedentedly brazen,” Tsahkna said in a statement.

“Russia’s increasingly extensive testing of boundaries and growing aggressiveness must be met with a swift increase in political and economic pressure.”

The Russian military had not commented publicly on the report as of noon Friday.

International lawmakers quickly pledged support for Estonia.

“Russia is showing the full extent of its contempt for diplomacy and international law,”

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on X.

“Europe stands with Estonia in the face of Russia’s latest violation of our airspace. We will respond to every provocation with determination while investing in a stronger Eastern flank. As threats escalate, so too will our pressure. I call on EU leaders to swiftly approve our 19th sanctions package.”

The news comes as Russia overnight launched some 90 drones in a major attack on Ukraine.

The last of the venerable Sukhoi Su-22 Fitter swing-wing strike aircraft in Europe have been officially withdrawn from service. At one time, the Su-22 was a backbone of Warsaw Pact offensive airpower on the continent, with the final examples having been operated by the Polish Air Force, which had flown these impressive jets since the first example was delivered more than 40 years ago.

There was much attention on Poland yesterday after NATO fighters shot down several of the more than a dozen Russian drones that entered the country’s airspace in an unprecedented violation, which you can read about here. Meanwhile, the Polish Air Force held a media event to mark the retirement of the Su-22. A formation of Fitters flew over the various bases where Su-22s in Poland had been stationed. Friend of TWZ, Stephan de Bruijn, was in Poland and provided the following photos of the event, which was not impacted by the drone incident. Today, meanwhile, the Polish Air Force stages an official ceremony to mark the Su-22’s long career.

Powered by a single turbojet engine that propelled it to a top speed of Mach 1.77, the Su-22 was a brutish design that was very much in line with Soviet doctrine of the Cold War era. While its origins lay in the Su-7 Fitter ground-attack aircraft, the Su-22 was a swing-wing type, with only the outer wing panels pivoting. This was a simpler, robust solution to the aerodynamic challenges of variable geometry. Weapons — including nuclear gravity bombs — were carried on 10 external hardpoints. During the Cold War, the Su-22s would have been provided with Soviet-owned tactical nuclear bombs, had things turned hot.

Overall, the Su-22 was built for easy maintenance and combat operations with limited technical support. These factors helped ensure it stayed in service for so long in Poland.

“It is a rugged, reliable fighter — a very good platform for weapons delivery,” Capt. Krzysztof Kreciejewski, a flight commander and instructor pilot, said of the Su-22 in an earlier interview. “The navigation and attack system is still the same 1980s vintage, but it is virtually indestructible. The engine too is very old but very reliable with a remarkable resistance to FOD [foreign object damage].”

Poland received a total of 90 single-seat Su-22M4s and 20 two-seat Su-22UM3Ks, which were deployed within four tactical bomber regiments based at Piła, Powidz, Mirosławiec, and Swidwin. The first example arrived in Poland in August 1984. By the time the Berlin Wall fell in 1989, Su-22s were also serving with Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, East Germany, and Hungary, with Soviet examples (known as Su-17s) also serving in some of those countries.

After Poland joined NATO in 1999, its Su-22s underwent limited upgrades, and the air force decided to continue flying the Soviet-type, as well as the MiG-29 Fulcrum fighter. Among others, the Fitters received NATO-standard avionics and more modern VHF/UHF communication systems. Also, service life was extended by 10 years on 18 of the aircraft, with work performed in-country, at Bydgoszcz, from 2014. In the process of modernization, the jets traded their former green and brown camouflage for a low-visibility two-tone gray scheme.

At one stage, it was expected the Polish Fitters would be withdrawn in 2016, but they soldiered on, even after the introduction of F-16C/D Block 50/52 fighters, among the most advanced of their type anywhere in Europe. However, with Poland being the last Su-22 operator in Europe, and with production long since ceased, maintaining the fleet — which was eventually concentrated at Mirosławiec, in northwestern Poland — became increasingly difficult.

While the Su-22’s original role was as a low-level strike specialist, with a secondary reconnaissance mission, toward the end of its Polish service, it was also used for adversary work. This involved the jets flying as ‘red air,’ as well as launching aerial targets, during air force and ground-based air defense training scenarios. Such work wasn’t without hazards, with one Su-22 being accidentally shot down during an exercise by a Polish Kub (SA-6 Gainful) surface-to-air missile in 2003.

Aside from second-line duties, Polish Fitters retained a combat role until the end. This included anti-surface strikes over the Baltic Sea as part of defensive operations. Meanwhile, offensive counter-air missions included supporting units of the Polish Land Forces, Navy, and special forces, as well as assisting allies during exercises. One limitation was the removal of time-expired Soviet-era guided air-to-ground missiles, leaving the Su-22s armed with free-fall bombs, rockets, and guns. For self-defense, R-60 (AA-8 Aphid) air-to-air missiles could be fitted on special underwing pylons.

Outside of Europe, the Fitter’s days are likely also numbered. The other last remaining operators are found in Angola, Libya (where only a handful of aircraft likely remain active), and Vietnam. Others are flown by Iran, Syria, and Yemen, where their current status after Israeli airstrikes this year, on top of other recent conflicts, must be considered questionable.

The retirement of the last Polish Su-22s was finally enabled by the arrival of the Korea Aerospace Industries FA-50 light combat aircraft, acquired as part of a multi-million-dollar South Korean arms package. The initial 12 FA-50GFs (representing the initial Block 10 configuration) were delivered to Poland between July and December 2023. Another 36 of the more advanced FA-50PL (Block 20) aircraft are also on order.

At Mirosławiec, the Fitters also make way for the Bayraktar TB2 uncrewed aerial system, with the base becoming a tactical drone hub, as these assets take on a more important role with the Polish Air Force. The TB2s will ultimately be joined by three MQ-9B SkyGuardian drones, providing much expanded capabilities.

In terms of crewed combat aircraft, the Polish Air Force has already donated 14 of its MiG-29s to Ukraine, leaving 14 more based at Malbork, where they are expected to serve until 2027. A contract was recently signed for the upgrade of the country’s 47 surviving F-16s to the F-16V configuration, as you can read about here. In the most ambitious expression of the service’s modernization, 32 F-35As are also on order, with a first operational squadron due to be established at Łask, around 2025-26.

Altogether, these are examples of the staggering Polish defense spending spree that has now been going on for years, as the country works to modernize its entire armed forces, with a particular eye toward meeting threats from Russia.

There is some irony, therefore, in the fact that the Polish Air Force today bids farewell to its long-serving Su-22s, provided by Moscow at a time when Europe’s geopolitical landscape looked entirely different.

With thanks to Rich Cooper/COAP Media. You can see more of his photos on Instagram.

Contact the author: [email protected]

With the current growing tensions between Venezuela and the United States, it’s worth recalling a little-known aerial mission that the U.S. military launched to interdict narcotics coming out of Central and South America back in the 1990s. Most notably, the announcement earlier this week that 10 F-35s will deploy to Puerto Rico startled some, but it is actually far from unprecedented. In fact, something similar was happening for years, decades ago. This was Coronet Nighthawk, which employed U.S. Air Force fighters to patrol against suspected drug traffickers.

Starting with the current situation, the deployment of F-35s has been taken by some as evidence that the United States is planning to go to war directly with Venezuela. However, as we have previously pointed out, these stealth jets could also be used for a range of other relevant tasks. In particular, their advanced sensors make them ideal intelligence-gathering platforms. You can read more about that here.

We are still waiting to hear more about the F-35 deployment. Currently, it remains unclear where they will come from, when they arrive, and what they will do once they get there.

However, the deployment does have some parallels with Coronet Nighthawk, a counterdrug operation that began in the early 1990s and employed fighter aircraft to patrol the skies of Central America and the Caribbean and detect suspected drug-running aircraft. This was at a time of huge concern around drug trafficking and smuggling into the United States, which had begun to peak during the era of the Reagan administration in the mid-1980s.

The main facility for Coronet Nighthawk was Howard Air Force Base in Panama, although assets would eventually also be rotated into other airfields in the Caribbean and Central America.

This mission was initially undertaken by Air Combat Command before transitioning from the active-duty component to the Air National Guard. Fighters were on 24/7 alert to intercept possible drug-trafficking aircraft and to provide overwatch to dissuade such flights. On receiving coordinates of a suspect flight, fighters were expected to scramble within 15 minutes and would then go and investigate them.

F-15s and F-16s were involved, with an example of the former pictured at the top of this story. Dated 1993, the original caption describes it as an F-15 sent to identify an aircraft that was possibly hauling drugs as detected by the Southern Regional Operations Center.

A Washington Post article from 2000, detailing the 113th Wing’s activities in Curaçao provides an idea of how the mission worked:

“The fast, agile F-16s would quickly intercept the suspect planes in international airspace as they flew over open water. The aircraft would be identified and tracked along their route and then followed again after making suspected deliveries. Information on the planes’ actions and location would be passed on to law enforcement agencies and local civil authorities for possible arrests and seizures.”

It appears the U.S. Air Force fighters flew their missions unarmed, serving as the ‘eyes in the sky’ to locate suspect aircraft as well as to dissuade them from being in the airspace in the first instance.

However, intercepting ‘slow-movers’ was and remains a challenge for a jet fighter.

“The drug runners aren’t running at high noon,” Col. Mike Redman, the 113th Wing vice commander, told the Washington Post. “They’re doing it very early in the morning, and they’re flying low over the water.” Typically, the drug-runners would try and fly at low speed, just below the clouds.

The Coronet Nighthawk mission was wound up in 2001, due to the implementation of the Panama Canal Treaty, which handed the canal back to the Panamanian government at the end of December 1999, together with U.S. military bases in the country. (In 2002, the Coronet Nighthawk name would be resurrected for the deployment to Europe of Air Force F-117 stealth fighters).

Clearly, however, the mission had been successful in terms of its original remit.

As of the early 1990s, 75 percent of the drugs in the region were assessed to be transported by air, according to an official history from the 142nd Wing, one of the units that provided fighter jets. By the time the mission ended, the percentage of drugs transported in the region by air had been reduced to 25 percent, as the drug traffickers changed their approach accordingly.

According to one publicly available account, between September 1994 and the end of the decade, Coronet Nighthawk fighters were credited with ensuring the disruption or seizure of over 33,000 metric tons of cocaine.

“We didn’t go over there expecting to completely stop the flow of cocaine coming into the country,” Maj. Conal J. Brady III, a 199th Fighter Squadron F-15 pilot, said in one contemporary account. “But we did make a dent in it and made it a lot harder for the drug runners.”

As far as the 142nd Wing and its F-15s were concerned, they made six deployments to Panama for Coronet Nighthawk, first in 1992, twice in 1993, again in 1994, over the New Year 1995–96, and lastly in 1999. A typical deployment involved five F-15s and around 50 airmen, with personnel rotating every two weeks.

“It’s a real-world mission, but at least the weather’s nice and you’re working under the palm trees near white sand beaches,” Redman explained to the Washington Post.

It should be recalled that, during the same timeframe, an overseas F-16 assignment might otherwise take airmen to a desert base in the Middle East, to fly long-duration ‘no-fly’ zone missions over Iraq.

The current F-35 deployment is a fairly clear indication that the situation in the region is currently heating up.

Back in the 1990s, most of the narcotics traffic was underway in the air. The pulse-Doppler lookdown radars on the F-15s and F-16s were key to finding aerial targets, which were mainly active at night.

Now, most of the drugs in the region are moved on the surface of the water. Modern fighters have even more powerful radars paired with electro-optical systems that can detect and investigate targets on the surface and do so very quickly. With the U.S. military now also engaging suspected drug traffickers at sea, fighters would also be able to attack those targets themselves. The air threat from Venezuela is also not nonexistent. While the token fleet of aging F-16s is not a huge concern, Venezuela does have 21 more potent Su-30MK2V Flanker multirole fighters.

For the time being, at least, it seems that the favored option for counter-narcotics missions involves the MQ-9 Reaper drone, at least two of which have recently been noted in Puerto Rico. Although these are among a number of different aircraft now involved, MQ-9s can carry a variety of missiles as well as sensors for surveillance and can loiter for more than 24 hours over a target, making them an ideal platform for these missions. What they cannot do is respond anywhere near as rapidly as a fighter.

Meanwhile, although Coronet Nighthawk was just one of many military efforts by the U.S. government to try to stop the flow of drugs into the country from Central and South America, it appears to have been one of the more successful ones.

Contact the author: [email protected]

Sept. 10 (UPI) — Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said Wednesday that Polish forces and their NATO partners downed a “huge” number of Russian drones overnight, the first time Russian assets have been intercepted in the military alliance’s airspace.

“Last night, the Polish airspace was violated by a huge number of Russian drones. Those drones that posed a direct threat were shot down. I am in constant communication with the Secretary General of NATO and our allies,” Tusk said in a post on X.

He said there were “multiple violations of Polish airspace,” each of which was met by Polish and NATO air defenses, including fighter jets.

Tusk said he was in continual contact with the commander of the operation, the defense minister and the country’s president.

Residents were sent emergency texts alerting them of the air defense operation and requesting them to report any drones they saw or locations where they fell, while people in three regions in the east of the country were told to stay indoors.

Supreme Allied Commander Europe Gen. Alexus Grynkewich said NATO’s swift and decisive response demonstrated both the alliance’s ability and determination “to defend Allied territory.”

Speaking after an emergency meeting of the National Security Bureau, Tusk said Poland was most likely “dealing with a large-scale provocation.” He called the situation “serious” but vowed that Poland was “ready to repel” attacks of this nature.

A number of the drones entered from Belarus airspace, Tusk told lawmakers later Wednesday, and that the last of the objects was shot down at 6:45 a.m. local time.

“I have no reason to claim we’re on the brink of war, but a line has been crossed, and it’s incomparably more dangerous than before. This situation brings us the closest we have been to open conflict since World War Two,” he said.

The incursion came amid a massive Russian airborne attack against neighboring Ukraine involving more than 400 drones and more than 40 cruise and ballistic missiles, with the Ukrainian Air Force saying that as many as 24 drones “crossed the Ukrainian state border flying in Poland’s direction.”

Poland shares borders of roughly equal length with both Ukraine and Belarus.

NATO Allied Command Operations confirmed the clashes were the first time NATO aircraft had engaged with potential threats in “Allied Airspace” with Poland and the Netherlands scrambling fighter jets, Italian early warning aircraft and a NATO air-refuelling tanker airborne and German-supplied Patriot missiles on alert.

“NATO, Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe, and all of Allied Command Operations is committed to defending every kilometer of NATO territory, including our airspace,” said Col. Martin L. O’Donnell, Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe spokesman.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer issued a statement saying he had been in communication with Tusk over the incident, which he called a “barbaric attack on Ukraine and the egregious and unprecedented violation of Polish and NATO airspace by Russian drones”.

“This was an extremely reckless move by Russia and only serves to remind us of President Putin’s blatant disregard for peace and the constant bombardment innocent Ukrainians face every day.”

The incident came hours after Starmer hosted NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte in Downing Street where they discussed work to integrate U.S. support into plans for a so-called Coalition of the Willing of European countries putting together a reassurance force for Ukraine to uphold any future cease-fire.

Condemning the incursion in “the strongest possible terms,” French President Emmanuel Macron said it was completely unacceptable and that he would meet with Rutte — but did not say when.

Belarus claimed the incursion was accidental, caused by drones turned “rogue” after their systems were jammed, claimed its forces had shot some of them down, and that it communicated with Poland and Lithuania over a five-hour period during the night.

Moscow, however, sought to lay blame on Ukraine, with Russian state television quoting unnamed Polish lawmakers saying it appeared to be a false-flag operation perpetrated by Kyiv.

RUSSIAN drones have flown into Polish airspace, prompting NATO jets to be scrambled in response.

Polish and allied aircraft were activated in the early hours of Wednesday to ensure the county’s airspace is protected.

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It comes as Moscow continues to barrage Ukraine with relentless drone strikes.

Poland, a member of the NATO alliance, shares a border with Ukraine and has been one of Kyiv’s key international backers.

Warsaw’s operational command shared the tense news in a post on X.

“Polish and allied aircraft are operating in our airspace, while ground-based air defence and radar reconnaissance systems have been brought to the highest state of readiness,” they said.

The Ukrainian Air Force earlier said on Telegram that Russian drones were tearing towards the city of Zamosc.

It is not clear how many drone entered Polish airspace.

This comes after a Russian air killed at least 24 people and injured 19 others in the Donetsk region.

A glide bomb struck the village of Yarova, which was home to around 1,700 people before the war.

Valium Filashkin, head of Donetsk Military Administration, said: “This is not military action – this is pure terrorism.”

Vladimir Putin’s forces continue to wreak devastation across Ukraine as Moscow‘s brutal full-scale invasion grinds on.

On Sunday, Russia unleashed a vicious barrage against Ukraine that killed four people.

A two-month old baby was among the victims of the barbaric strikes.

Poland is a member state of NATO, giving it protections under the Article 5 mutual defence agreement.

This means that an attack on one member state is deemed an attack on all, obliging countries including the US, the UK and France to come to their aid if the clause is invoked.

Pressure is mounting on the United States and allies to impose deeper sanctions on Russia amid the intensifying onslaught.

Speaking on the White House lawn after the attacks this weekend, Donald Trump said he’s “not happy with the whole situation”.

Sunday’s attack saw 805 drones and a dozen ballistic and cruise missiles fired at some of Ukraine‘s largest cities.

Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko told The New York Post the “barbaric attack proved we have to do whatever it takes to stop Russian war machine fuelled by oil and gas revenue”.

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More to follow… For the latest news on this story, keep checking back at The U.S. Sun, your go-to destination for the best celebrity news, sports news, real-life stories, jaw-dropping pictures, and must-see videos.

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“The hype was off the charts,” says New York-based sportswriter Ian O’Connor.

He already felt that Rodgers was the “most compelling and polarising figure” in the NFL and his bid to win a championship for “a loser-ville franchise in the NFL’s biggest market” inspired him to write a Rodgers biography., external

O’Connor had followed the Jets’ sorry search for a successor to legendary quarterback Joe Namath, which had turned them into a laughing stock. They have failed to reach the post-season since 2011, the longest current play-off drought in the NFL.

But, after 18 years and a Super Bowl win with the Green Bay Packers, Rodgers was ready to swap the NFL’s smallest market for the Big Apple and relished his new lifestyle.

He made numerous public appearances and Jets fans warmed to their new star after seeing how he was portrayed in the Hard Knocks series, which followed the Jets’ training camp.

“I’ve been covering sports in New York for almost four decades and I’ve never seen a superstar athlete from another market embracing New York like Aaron Rodgers did,” O’Connor told BBC Sport. “It was a total love-fest.

“Jets fans couldn’t get enough of it. New Yorkers really embraced him and didn’t care about his vaccine views or conspiracy theories.

“They didn’t care about anything except his football talent and the chance to see the Jets reach the Super Bowl for the first time since Neil Armstrong stepped on the moon (1969).

“To have that ripped away four plays into the season, it was a tough night. I was in the building and I’ve never been more heart-sick for an athlete and a fanbase.”

Without Rodgers, the Jets finished the 2023 season with a 7-10 record and although he returned last year, head coach Robert Saleh was sacked as the Jets slumped to 5-12.

O’Connor said that Rodgers planned for “two healthy seasons with the Jets”. He got just one as, in February, new coach Aaron Glenn and general manager Darren Mougey said they wanted to go “in a different direction”.

Aug. 25 (UPI) — The United States military reported it scrambled a response contingent over the weekend after a Russian spy plane flew close to American airspace.

The North American Aerospace Defense Command, or NORAD, reported Sunday it detected an IL-20 COOT reconnaissance aircraft flying through the Alaskan Air Defense Identification Zone, or ADIZ.

NORAD responded by sending two F-16 fighter jets, an E-3 Sentry radar plane and two refueling tankers to intercept and make a visual confirmation.

The Russian aircraft stayed within the ADIZ and did not enter American or Canadian sovereign airspace.

The ADIZ is located within international airspace but lies close enough to American and Canadian sovereign airspace to require “the ready identification of all aircraft in the interest of national security,” according to NORAD.

NORAD also noted such activity in the ADIZ is a regular occurrence that does not constitute a threat.

A Russian IL-20 COOT was also detected in the ADIZ last week on Wednesday and Thursday and took the same responsive measures.

Aug. 15 (UPI) — Two planes clipped wings at Manchester Airport in Britain on Friday, briefly pausing flight operations on the ground at the facility, officials confirmed.

No injuries were reported when the two easyJet planes collided on the ground at about 6:30 a.m. local time, an airport spokesperson said.

“We suspended operations briefly while they were assessed to see if they could taxi back to a stand, which they could so operations resumed after a few minutes,” the airport said in a statement to reporters.

Both flights were set to depart the international airport, with one bound for Paris and the other headed to Gibraltar.

Britain-based easyJet is a multinational low-cost airline group. The company operates a fleet of 318 Airbus aircraft and boasts that it has “one of the youngest fleets in the industry.”

The airline was working on re-booking affected passengers Friday, according to airport officials.

“EasyJet can confirm that the wing tips of two aircraft came into contact while taxiing to the runway at Manchester airport this morning. The aircraft returned to stand to disembark customers who have been provided with refreshment vouchers while replacement aircraft are arranged to operate the flights,” an easyJet spokesperson told The Guardian in a statement.

“We apologize to customers for the delay to their flights. The safety of our passengers and crew is our highest priority.”

Last weekend, a Delta Airlines flight clipped another aircraft at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.

Thousands of US workers hit the picket line at three plants in Illinois and Missouri.

Thousands of workers at Boeing plants across the United States that develop military aircraft and weapons have gone on strike.

The strike began Monday at Boeing facilities in St Louis and St Charles, Missouri, as well as Mascoutah, Illinois, after failed negotiations over wage increases and other provisions of a new contract.

About 3,200 local members of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers voted Sunday to reject a modified four-year labour agreement, the union said.

“IAM District 837 members build the aircraft and defense systems that keep our country safe,” Sam Cicinelli, the general vice president of the union’s Midwest division, said in a statement. “They deserve nothing less than a contract that keeps their families secure and recognizes their unmatched expertise.”

The vote followed a weeklong cooling-off period after the workers rejected an earlier proposed contract, which included a 20 percent wage increase over four years and $5,000 ratification bonuses.

Boeing warned over the weekend that it anticipated the strike after workers rejected its latest offer, which did not further boost the proposed wage hike. However, the proposal removed a scheduling provision that would have affected workers’ ability to earn overtime pay.

“We’re disappointed our employees rejected an offer that featured 40 percent average wage growth and resolved their primary issue on alternative work schedules,” said Dan Gillian, Boeing Air Dominance vice president and general manager, and senior St Louis site executive.

“We are prepared for a strike and have fully implemented our contingency plan to ensure our non-striking workforce can continue supporting our customers.”

Boeing’s Defense, Space & Security business accounts for more than one-third of the company’s revenue. But Boeing CEO Kelly Ortberg told analysts last week that the impact from a strike by the machinists who build fighter jets, weapons systems and the US Navy’s first carrier-based unmanned aircraft would be much less than a walkout last year by 33,000 workers who assemble the company’s commercial jetliners.

“The order of magnitude of this is much, much less than what we saw last fall,” Ortberg said. “So we’ll manage through this. I wouldn’t worry too much about the implications of the strike.”

The 2024 strike shut down Boeing’s factories in Washington state for more than seven weeks at a bleak time for the company. Boeing came under several federal investigations last year after a door plug blew off a 737 Max plane during an Alaska Airlines flight in January.

The Federal Aviation Administration put limits on Boeing plane production that it said would last until the agency felt confident about manufacturing quality safeguards at the company. The door-plug incident renewed concerns about the safety of the 737 Max. Two of the planes crashed less than five months apart in 2018 and 2019, killing 346 people.

Ortberg told analysts that the company has slowly worked its way up to an FAA-set 737 Max production cap of 38 per month and expects to ask regulators later this year for permission to go beyond it.

Last week, Boeing reported that its second-quarter revenue had improved and its losses had narrowed. The company lost $611m in the second quarter, compared to a loss of $1.44bn during the same period last year.

Boeing’s stock tumbled on the news of the strike. Trending downwards earlier in the day, it has since been trending upwards, but is still below the market open by 0.26 percent as of 12:30pm ET (16:30 GMT).

July 28 (UPI) — NATO aircraft were scrambled Sunday night to respond to a Russian attack on Ukraine, the Polish military said Monday.

“Polish and allied quick reaction aircraft were scrambled, and ground-based air defense and radar reconnaissance systems reached the highest state of readiness,” Poland’s Operational Command of the Armed Forces said in a statement.

“These actions are preventive in nature and are aimed at securing airspace and protecting citizens, especially in areas adjacent to the threatened region.”

A few hours later, it issued a statement that the aircraft had concluded their deployment, adding that “no violations of Polish airspace were observed.”

Swedish fighter jets stationed in Poland were among the aircraft scrambled, it said.

The Ukrainian Air Force said in a statement on Telegram on Monday that Russia launched 324 drones and seven missiles overnight, resulting in 311 of the attacks being either shot down or suppressed by electronic warfare.

“There were confirmed impacts of two missiles of various types and 15 strike UAVs at three locations,” it said.

Andriy Yermak, head of Ukraine’s Office of the President, said in a statement on X that some of the Russian aerial strikes hit civilian infrastructure, including in the capital Kyiv.

“He wants nothing but war and Ukraine’s defeat,” he said, referring to Russian President Vladimir Putin. “But defeat is not an option.”

“Russia and its satellites are also testing NATO’s response,” he added. “Drones entering the airspace of the Baltic states are signals that must not be ignored.”